A current mobile communication network such as a 3rd Generation Project Partnership™ (3GPP™), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access™ (WiMAX™), and a 3rd Generation Project Partnership 2™ (3GPP2™) includes Radio Access Networks (RANs) and Core Networks (CNs). The RANs are formed by a plurality of Base Stations (BSs) which provide a radio access to Mobile Stations (MSs). The CNs are formed by routers and various servers that mainly provide a subscriber account management and an MS access to an internet and services per core. A connection between a RAN and a CN is provided by a transport network as a backhaul network.
The RAN and the CN may or may not belong to the same mobile operators. The backhaul network may be operated by a network operator that neither operates the RAN nor the CN. A backhaul operation incurs significant operational cost to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO), so an effective use for the backhaul operation may be an important business objective of the MNO.
In the mobile communication network, there is a concept of a flat network architecture where data packets to and from the MSs are not forced to transfer through the CN. In the mobile communication network, the RAN operates as an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway of the MS. Nevertheless, the backhaul network is used for connecting the BSs to remaining entities of the IP network.